Warm or Cold? The Choice is Yours
In preparation for important meetings, relationships,
encounters and team sessions, there are things you can
do to prime your brain for the best outcomes. Think
of priming as a way of preparing the soil so you can
establish a healthy garden. When you are with people with
whom you have low levels of trust, you can raise the level
neurochemically by shaking hands. When you reach out to
shake hands, oxytocin is released, which triggers the brain
to react, “This is a friend, not a foe.”
Likewise, you can shift the outcome of a meeting by
starting with a trust-building activity. Ask everyone in the
room to identify the practices, or “rules,” that would give
this conversation and meeting the best outcome. Shape the
space for trust and openness by sending the agenda ahead
of time, rethinking the seating, and focusing on keeping
conversations open, collaborative and non-oppositional.